ARC Review: The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi (Blog Tour + Giveaway)

Lauren Gibaldi is also out Debut Author of June! After you check out everything in this post head over to read an our interview with Lauren and giveaway! 

Title: The Night We Said Yes

Author: Lauren Gibaldi

Genre: Romance

Source: Edelweiss

Publisher: Harper Teen

Publication Date: June 16th 2015

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Summary:

Before Matt, Ella had a plan. Get over a no-good ex-boyfriend. Graduate from high school without any more distractions. Move away from Orlando, Florida, where she’s lived her entire life. But Matt—the cute, shy, bespectacled bass player who just moved to town—was never part of that plan. And neither was attending a party that was crashed by the cops just minutes after they arrived. Or spending an entire night saying “yes” to every crazy, fun thing they could think of. Then Matt abruptly left town, and he broke not only Ella’s heart but those of their best friends, too. So when he shows up a year later with a plan of his own—to relive the night that brought them together—Ella isn’t sure whether Matt’s worth a second chance. Or if re-creating the past can help them create a different future. In alternating then and now chapters, debut author Lauren Gibaldi crafts a charming, romantic story of first loves, lifelong friendships, uncovered secrets, and, ultimately, finding out how to be brave

This book was sweet, and then a punch in the gut. I wasn't aware that this book would only take place over the course of one night, before Matt left and when Matt returns. I found it quite interesting for a love story to be told in the course of only a few hours, but Lauren made sure that happened. I read The Night We Said Yes in only three hours, only moving from the couch when my leg would fall asleep. 

The book alternated between then and now. We see how Matt and Ella fall and in love in the before, which was incredibly cute, then we see Matt come back and Matt and Ella fall back into love with each other. All in one night. I figured that because of the time frame of this book that Lauren was going to end up rushing it, but she didn't. The story flowed nicely and switching back and forth through time gave you a bigger appreciation of the characters and what was going on. 

When we first meet Ella you can tell she has been hurt. She funny, sweet, sarcastic, and her best friend Meg hangs over her, protecting her. Meg basically gives you the impression that if she doesn't like you she will punch you in the face. Pretty much someone I would be friends with. I loved Meg and Ella's friendship and how the story focused a bit on their friendship as well. Through both now and then these girls have an incredibly strong friendship.

I liked Matt from the moment he came back. There was something about his character that I completely fell in love with, but I also wanted to hit him upside the head at some points. He just wouldn't open up to Ella. Ella is hurting because of his secrets. I never expected the reason for why he left, at this point my heart was no longer just breaking for Ella it was breaking for Matt too. Matt's leaving didn't just affect Ella, it affected Jake and Meg as well. Jake was Matt's best friend, and he didn't know why Matt left either. 

One thing that I especially loved about this book was Meg and Jake's relationship. Because it wasn't a main point in the book it happened subtly in the background but in the "then" part of the novel, they grow through a rough patch in their relationship and then Jake confesses about how much her loves her. It was beautiful. Jake thinks he is a complete screw up and doesn't deserve Meg, and Meg doesn't need Jake. She loves home. I love that Lauren added that in there. 

I could gush all day about how much I love this book. I did knock a star off because of the time. I do wish we would get more time with these characters. Other then that though The Night We Said Yes is defiantly a book I will be looking for in the book stores when it is published. 

Rating:

 

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Public librarian and author of THE NIGHT WE SAID YES (HarperCollins / HarperTeen, June 16, 2015) and MATT'S STORY (a The Night We Said Yes Novella, out August 2015). Fan of dinosaurs and cheesy jokes. And you.

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